Kisses and Waves
by trufflebutter7
Summary: Mario pouted, arriving in New Donk City with his brother. He was never a city boy. However, after finding about his rebellious behavior, his parents had no other choice but to send him there to get his act together. Mario encounters more than what he expected when he starts a new life under the towering skyscrapers and bright lights. (Rated T for language and general shenanigans)
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note:

Hello! This is my first fanfiction on this site and it's called Kisses and Waves. I've wanted to make this fic for a while and I am glad I am getting to it! Kisses and Waves will be a multi-chapter long story and I will try to update regularly, but I cannot promise that. This is a fic starring Mario and Pauline and their past relationship. It will be full of drama, romance and tears, so enjoy! :)

* * *

The sounds of angry clamoring had chased them out of their hiding spot in the short shrub. From the loosely attached door, a taller, older toad had stepped out of the house. The light from inside had illuminated the darkness outside, so he could at least step out of the house without tripping. Off the dirt ridden _Welcome!_ mat, his stomps were heavy on his wooden patio and his mouth opened in a furious scowl, "This is third time this week, you little runts! Be men and come out!" He shouted into the abyss of trees and heavy bushes, shaking one fist.

They panicked a little too much that time and moved hastily backward. The shaking branches rattled against each other as their bodies shifted around. Curse words spluttered from their mouths and the insects fluttered off the leaves amidst their movements.

"Y'all wanna run from me again, huh? HUH?!" Seeing the bugs buzz from the bush furthest from his porch, the toad growled. The toad bent down and reached to his side, thinking he found his targets. He grabbed a heavy, LED lantern off the side of the porch. It clanked noisily as he lowered his other hand to flip on the switch.

"Then how do you like this?!"

 _Flicker._

 _Flicker._

 _Flicker._

His mouth turned, his denchers gritting against each other in frustration. The ONE time he thought he could catch them. "Damn batteries." With a weak hand, the toad gave the lantern a smack on its side.

They watched with their hearts in their throats, beginning to slowly exit the bushes with more care than before. Their hands were sweaty with anticipation as they waited for the inevitable beam of light to shine right at them. The unkept, dry ground crackled under their sneakers. One wrong move could get all of their asses kicked and none of them could afford that in the middle of the boonies with no one to call to. But what were they expecting when they pranked this guy again?

"A-HA!"

Bam! There was the light, incandescently bright. It lit up the whole surrounding area, especially what was in front of it. The toad lifted it up like a mad man, despite his eyes straining from the intense light, "Now come out, you!"

They had no other choice, but to freaking _book it_ , realizing the fact once the toad was half-way down the rickety wooden stairs leading down to the ground. This toad was fed up! Sure, they had pranked him a few times before, but this old fart hadn't done more than screech and curse. Now, he appeared to be taking matters into his own crusty, veiny hands.

Instead of tip-toeing, their feet broke into a full blown sprint. Their shoulders bashed against one another's, trying to get a head start out of there. They were out of the bushes by that point, the old fart couldn't pinpoint where they were now, with that hearing of his, right? Right?

Instead, the toad swung the lantern with guster, in the direction where the bushes were shaking. The light revealed five figures dashing away in a flurry, all of them wearing black jackets and the toad narrowed his eyes and his mouth solidified into a toothy grin, "THERE you are!"

He focused in on two of them, however, as if he recognized them. Unlike the others, the two wore red and green. The shorter, chubbier one wore a red streak across his jacket and a red hat while the other. The other one, who was clinging to the red one's arm, wore a green streak and a matching green cap, "YOU TWO AGAIN?!"

* * *

The group found themselves running like hell, hearing the revving of a motor in the distance behind them. It could've been a car or a chainsaw, it could be anything, but all they could do now to avoid it by letting their legs carry them as fast as they could.

Even though they were already running at full speed, they somehow sped up, hearing an echoing voice call, "Quit running, you! Let's sit down and have a chat!" The fact that no one knew what direction it was coming from was scaring the life out of them, "Come back here!"

One of them, with shaggy brown hair and uncut sideburns ran alongside his friend with the red-streaked black jacket, "Mario, dude, just where the hell did you park the car?" He hissed.

The red-jacketed friend was one of the last in the back, lagging behind the rest. Mario had a round face with chubby cheeks, dark brown hair, blue eyes and an almost fully grown mustache. With a high pitched Italian-accent, he exclaimed, "Reggie, like I know these-a-woods!"

"My brother knows-a-them better than me. He's the only one of us that actually comes back here!" After just avoiding crashing into a tree by a hair, he called to the one running significantly faster than everyone else, adorned in the green-streaked jacket, "Ay, Luigi!"

Luigi appeared similar to his brother, except, he had a longer face with a skinnier body and differently styled mustache. Like Mario, he had dark-hazelnut hair with long sideburns and bright sky blue eyes, "Bro?"

"Where's the car, bro?" Mario shouted with urgency, beginning to hear the motor gaining on them.

"Bro!" He shouted at his brother's pause. They had NO time to think about this!

Luigi narrowed his eyes, "Let me think, bro! We just-a-started running in the forest and we're definitely not going the way-a-we came!"

"Well, Weege, start thinkin' soon!" Another friend cried who had curly black hair and long eyebrows. When Luigi ignored him, he deciding to be a little mischievous and run his fingers around Luigi's shoulders, "Or else the boos will come for you!"

"B-Boos?" Suddenly, Luigi screeched to a stop. His feet dug against the ground and he fell back onto his rump, flinging the dirt all over his shoes onto his clothes. The others were forced to stop as well, to avoid colliding with Luigi and causing even more problems.

"Dammit, Lou! Now-a-look at-a-what you did!" Mario scolded, hitting Lou quite harshly on the arm, "We're-a-gonna be stuck-a-here for hours..." he rolled his eyes, finding tears welling up in Luigi's eyes.

"Boo-Boos...No-No Boos…" Luigi murmured, sniffling a little.

Reggie and the rest were panicking, "Mario, you gotta do something, man! He's gonna get us all messed up!"

Thinking fast, like he always did, Mario wrapped his arms around Luigi's body and uncurled him from his ball, "I'll just-a-have to do this, then!" He easily picked Luigi up and threw him up over his shoulder, patting his brother on the back, "I might have to go a little slower, but, it's-a-better than nothing!"

"Boos…" Watching the ground begin to move under him, Luigi stammered, unable to break out of his state even though he was safe on his brother's shoulders.

"Nice save, Mario. Now we just gotta find the car-"

"SWAMP!" Lou shouted and the group stopped in front of a large swamp-like river.

Reggie practically screeched, "Again?!"

"Let me handle this…" With Luigi still over his shoulders, Mario stepped to the front of the group, eyeing the dense water just inches from him, covered in algae and strange mushrooms growing out of the muck.

Seeing a disembodied shell lurking in the middle of the swamp, an idea popped in Mario's brain, "Watch-a-this, fellas." Mario hopped over to the shell and it made his friends gasp at his boldness. He landed on the koopa shell with little difficulty, even avoiding a slip that would send him tumbling into the parasite-ridden and possibly poison swamp. Looking above him, Mario found a ledge and he smirked with victory, using his impressive, natural jumping skills to rocket himself up there, "I'll-a-get you!"

Laying Luigi on the ground next to him, Mario stretched out his hand, gesturing for his friends to follow him up. Reggie jumped first, as eager as he was, and landed wobbly on the koopa shell, "Dude, I'm slippin'!"

"Reggie, just jump towards-a-me!" Mario said, and Reggie did as he was told. He jumped from the koopa shell, and even though he hadn't been able to get the same height as Mario did, his friend caught him by the wrist and hoisted him up to the ledge, "See?" Mario smiled, giving Reggie a bro fist.

He repeated this with the last two of his friends, each of them thanking him profusely, "Thank the Stars you're such a great jumper, Mario."

They were all snapped back to reality at that second, hearing a revving motor in the near distance. Somehow, that crazy, persistent old fart was still on their tails, much to their amazement. The headlights of his truck were also beginning to become visible. No one said another word, and just bolted. Even Luigi was snapped out of his trance and raced to catch up with the others.

The old toad's truck must've been on the road, attempting to catch them once they were out of the forest, "We must-a-be close!" Mario said confidently, "We-a-just gotta get-a-there before the-a-old fart does!"

Sure enough, they were, they saw the lights of their roofless van coming up on the side of the road. They had parked just a little ways down the street, and they breathed a sigh a relief.

"THERE IT IS! THE CAR!" Lou cheered, "Come on, dudes!:

Luigi was not at all relieved and his eyes were hooked on the toad's truck gaining on them, "He's gaining on-a-us!" He was so hooked on the racing vehicle didn't even realize his running speed decreased and was falling behind the rest of his friends. When Reggie grabbed his hand to pull him along, he screeched, "EEEE!"

"Thanks for nothing, Weege." He teased and Luigi only pouted.

Mario jumped in the driver's seat, turning the key in the ignition and placing his hands on the steering wheel. Luigi jumped into the passenger's seat and the their three buddies filed into the back seat.

"You can't run from me!"

A cackling voice behind them boomed, coming from inside a truck that swerved out of a driveway and accelerating towards them.

"Punch it, bro!" Luigi tapped frantically on Mario's shoulder, and without a word, his brother slammed on the gas. The three friends in the backseat laughed maniacally, pointing at the toad's angry face through the window of the truck.

Their car raced through the narrow, barely paved road. The frame bumped and bumped, with every rock or bump they ran over everyone was tousled like they were groceries, especially Lou, since he had nothing to hold onto that weren't his friend's shoulders.

Reggie kept watch in the back, snapping his head around every once in a while to check the toad's progress. Then, the friend on the other side of Lou handed him a sack of toilet paper that was stacked in the trunk.

Reggie realized what Lou intended to communicate to him and he cheered, "Yeah! Double dash style!" before tossing his arm back and chucking the lump of toilet paper at the truck. Roll after roll was thrown from the back of the car, all in random directions. Some smacked against the window of the toad's truck while some fell onto the road.

They burst out into laughter once again, making Mario raise an eyebrow, flicking his eye up to the rearview mirror to avoid losing sight on the road. "What is up with-a-you? I'm getting jealous-a-now!" He laughed, turning the steering wheel hard to pull off an unexpected short turn.

Throwing the toilet paper had set back the toad and his truck a little bit, the friends found out, seeing the vehicle behind theirs bump and slow as it came in contact with the bouncing toilet paper rolls. The three high fived in the back seat, and when they looked down at their seats, there was no more toilet paper left, "Guys, he's totally slowed down, Mario, just take a lot of turns so we can finally lose him." Lou whispered.

"Right on, bud." Mario agreed.

As the ride went on, Mario took as many backroads he knew back to his and Luigi's house. No matter what street it was, Mario turned, all he wanted was to lose that old toad. While Luigi was wide awake, trying to get over his adrenaline rush, their three friends had partially fallen asleep in the back seat. Each of them took shifts to make sure no one was following them, but that was only when they were less than five minutes away from the brothers' house.

Mario called his friends to wake them up, "We're here!"

He slid carefully into the short driveway and parked the car in the second space in the garage. Luigi calmed himself down, knowing that he was back in the safety of their parent's house, "We are NOT-a-doing that again, bro!" He remarked, holding his chest to calm his racing heart.

"Can't count on that, bro." Mario shrugged, taking the keys out and jumping out of the car. He high-fived his friends, needing to jump up to reach their hands.

"He can just not bring you next time." Lou said, following Mario to his parents' mushroom-shaped, three story house. Smoke billowed from the chimney and the savory aroma of Mario and Luigi's favorite pasta found their nostrils.

"Mama's making-a-something!" Mario said, the smell coming from the open windows made his stomach growl.

"Thank Star Haven, I am starving!" Reggie admitted, and his friends gave a nod, "You think your mom will let us in, dude?

Luigi peaked through one of the windows, noticing a plump middle aged woman working at the stove. Her dark brown, almost black hair was tied in a loose bun at the back of her head. The loose strands on her forehead kept back with a cloth bandana. Wiping her hands on her apron, she stirred a spoon around in a boiling pot, and Luigi's mouth watered. "Mama's here!"

Mario took the house key out of his pocket and inserted it into the keyhole, yelling as he opened the door, "HELLO, MAMA! It's-a-me, Mari...o…"

His voice died out once he saw _who_ was at the dinner table. His papa sat cross armed, his big, friendly eyes were turned down in disappointment. Mario was welcomed with no hug, no pat on the shoulder, but a cold glare. Mario noticed it first and he stopped in his tracks, ignoring the fact that the door just smacked him in the shoulder. It struck him in the heart, Mario had gotten a look from his papa no son wanted to see.

"Sons." Papa said sternly with little pause between his words, "Take a seat, we need to talk."

* * *

Author's Note:

Hope y'all enjoyed and I'll be sure to update soon! Remember, this is my first fanfic on this site, so please don't hesitate to give feedback. I would love to hear what you have to say.


	2. Chapter 2

Authors Note:

Here's the second chapter! I hope you all enjoy.

* * *

Mario was stopped, he felt as if an ice flower had just struck him where he stood. His mouth was agape, finding who was sitting next to his papa. The old toad was there, hunched over the table, twiddling his bony fingers, and giving the young man a cruel side eye. From what he saw, his parents had catered to his presence, setting down a napkin on the table and a pillow under his chair. It was like they were compensating for their sons' and their unruly friends' behavior towards him lately.

Mario gulped, not knowing what to say, "Alfredo?" He asked.

From behind him, his three friends crowded at the doorway with their eyes peering into the house, "Man, what's goin' on?" Lou slapped Mario on the shoulder, "We're hungry, I'm dyin' for some of that 'fredo, dude." He added, also picking up on the smell of heated cheese and boiling pasta once he stepped through the door.

Reggie and their other friend did the same, they didn't complain like Lou and instead leaned over Mario's shorter body. Their heads peaked in alongside Lou's and at the same exact moment, all of their eyelids flew open. Mario realized they had noticed too, feeling the tense in their bodies.

They knew not to say a word, catching the cold gleam in Papa's azure eyes. The friends held back any sassy remarks they may have had and swallowed them down with the spit that built up in their mouths.

"Ohh, Mama Mia…" Luigi drawled to himself. He had been pushed behind everyone else and was blocked from seeing the sight inside. Sensing the stiffness in his brother's and his friend's bodies, it indicated that something was askew.

After he heard some maneuvering around in the kitchen nearby, Mario heard briskly footsteps heading towards the table, "...Ma's coming." he thought to himself.

Mama soon came into his view, coming to stand at the edge of the table, just a few feet away from the toad. She threw a dish rag into one of the pockets on her red rose styled apron and crossed her arms. Her face was turned down into a frown as she made eye contact with her son. "Mario. Luigi." Mama spoke in a harsh Italian accent, which sounded very similar to the brothers'.

"MAMA!" Luigi pushed through his friends as well as his brother at the sound of his mother's voice. His arms flailed apart, running towards her with tears running down his eyes in relief,

"You-You wouldn't believe what-a-Mario made me do!" He threw his arms around her waist and cried obnoxiously into her apron. Mama was not amused. She didn't untie her arms to comfort her son, like she would usually do.

Luigi peaked up from the apron, "Mama?"

"Are you blind, bro?!" Mario shouted, to which Luigi whipped his head around. He happened to do so in the old toad's direction. Meeting that stare made Luigi jump. He scurried back towards his brother and away from the toad, "How did he get-a-here?!"

Mama turned her heavy gaze towards their three friends, who were still cowering at the door. Do they not have the decency to leave already?

"So, no alfredo?" Lou asked, shrugging his shoulders and ignoring the elbow from Mario to shut up.

She was not happy with his comment, and she stormed over to the three of them. Whipping the rag out of her apron, Mama flung it around in front of them, "Now shoo!"

"Let's skedaddle, boys." The third friend remarked, pulling both Reggie and Lou by their arms and away from Mama. The three skidded out of the doorway, once the moist rag was spun in their faces. They scrambled down the patio, their feet clamoring on the shaking wood. Hopping down the stairs, they fell onto the stone driveway and disappeared down the dimly lit street.

Once they were gone, Mama reached behind Mario to slam the door. Once it shut, both Mario and Luigi gulped. They were alone with an angry Mama, Papa and toad, with nowhere to escape the harsh scolding they were inevitably going to get.

Papa was the first to speak, "Boys."

Mama pulled two chairs out from the table, across from Papa and the old toad, "Sit." She added, and her sternness was nothing to scoff at. There was no joking now.

Obediently, Luigi moved quickly and took his seat across from Papa. He did not want to be looking into those beady eyes for however long they were going to be sitting there. Seeing that Mario stood back, Luigi shrugged at his brother's disobedience.

"I don't-a-wanna sit!" Mario exclaimed, throwing his jacket off and crossed his arms, "I want to eat some alfredo!"

"Stop with the alfredo already!" He heard his Papa say.

Mama scowled, "Well you better! And if you keep that attitude up, you won't have any and I won't make it again for another month!"

Mario knew he could not give that up. Not being able to have his Mama's specialty alfredo pasta for a whole _month_ was a horrifying thought. He sucked in his pride and took his seat next to his brother.

The brothers avoided making eye contact with their parents as they began to speak.

"Charles." Papa addressed the toad, "Tell me what's going on with our boys."

The toad rolled his forearm over his mouth, shifting around in his chair, "Well, sir, they've trespassed on my property with a few of their idiot friends for the third time this week and have been pullin' all sorts of pranks on me."

He added, "It's been scarin' my chickens too!"

"Boys."

Luigi cried out, pointing over towards Mario, "Mario made-a-me do it! I didn't-a-wanna!"

Mario hissed, "Could you let-a-me handle this?!" after slapping Luigi on the shoulder.

"Be mature." Mama scolded.

"This guy-a-hasn't been giving Weege his-a-tips for his-a-paper route!" Mario said, "Everyone on the entire block gives my bro tips, but he-a-hasn't!"

The old toad pulled a frown and bared his displaced teeth in anger, "Because I couldn't!" He blurted, "My wife's been ill and I've been puttin' all the coins I have to her and I can't waste any!"

Eyes widening with shock, a wave of guilt struck Luigi. He sulked back in his chair modestly, and put a hand to his temple, contemplating what he had just heard. He was wrong in thinking Mario would do the same.

"It's just five coins! Everyone else on the neighborhood does it!" Mario stood up from his seat and towered over the sitting toad. Mama and Papa's were appalled at their son's words, they stared up at him intently, "What's everyone looking at-a-me for?"

Suddenly, after he looked down at Luigi and saw his expression, Mario realized what he had said. He once again stood frozen, now just thinking about what the toad had to say. He cursed himself internally, Good Stars, he just belittled an old toad about his financial situation. A shout from his Papa brought him back to Earth, "Sit down!"

This time, Mario did as he was told and settled back in his chair, avoiding eye contact with the man and peering down at his hands now settled in his lap.

The toad took a deep breath, "Well, it's very late now and I should be getting back."

Mama moved out from her seat and moved over to the refrigerator. She brought out two styrofoam containers of chilled pasta and placed them on the table near him. The toad took the two containers, "Thank you for listening to me. It's been just dandy." He nodded to both Mama and Papa, who both thanked him back profusely.

The toad turned back to the brothers, before he was in the doorway, "Now, you two. I don't want to see you near my property again, ok? Only if you're there to mow the lawn, help feed the chickens or clean my house."

Papa opened the door for the toad and once it shut, he went back over to the table where his wife and sons were sitting, "That would be a good little job for you, Mario."

"Nah." Mario rolled his eyes.

"Luigi has the paper route, you need something too. It'll get you some work experience." Papa suggested, "If you want to work with Uncle Vince, you both need to be a little more mature."

Mama almost laughed as she rose an eyebrow at her husband, "A little?"

"C'mon...Mama…" Luigi sniffed, "I swear to the Stars Mario is the one bringing me into this stuff!"

"Could you stop for-a-once?!"

Papa shouted, "ENOUGH!"

He immediately caught the brothers' attention. their eyes were snapped away from each other and towards their frustrated Papa.

"We have two things to work on with you both." Papa said, "Luigi, I want you owning up to things and Mario, I want a little more respect out of you."

* * *

Dinner that night was slow...and awkward to say the least. It was unlike most nights, where the atmosphere would be lively with the sound of hearty conversation and laughter. Fresh food also wasn't pouring out from the kitchen. Mama didn't make as much food. She usually made an assortment of dishes, pasta, breadsticks and salad galore that could feed an entire toad army but today, it was only cold alfredo linguini. Papa didn't go on about his day at work nor did Mama. The whole family sat in silence with one another.

Mario slurped up his alfredo fast and eagerly as if nothing changed while Luigi ate much slower and kept his head turned downwards. Within a few minutes, Mario had cleared his plate and placed it in the sink. He didn't look back at everyone when he bolted upstairs to his and Luigi's room.

Luigi watched his brother and heard the footsteps upstairs march towards their room.

"Luigi." Papa said.

"Yes, Papa?"

"We're making some decisions regarding you and your brother right now."

Hearing this, Luigi's ears perked up with interest. Something about that whole sentence gave him a chill. That could mean literally _anything_.

"What...kind-a-decisions?" He expected a vague answer and he got exactly that.

Papa and Mama glanced at each other as if they were communicating through their eyes, "Changes for the better. The better of both of you." Mama said.

* * *

Author's note:

I'm sorry Mario is kind of a jerk here, I guess it's just how I picture him at a younger age. Also, Mario **loves** his alfredo sauce. (In Partners in Time, the Star Gate says that Mario should "lay off the alfredo sauce". lol)


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note:

Chapter 3 is here!

* * *

Even though they were almost twenty, Mario and Luigi still slept in the same room. They were twins and lived in a smaller sized mushroom house, so it wasn't as weird as one might think. Of course they had separate beds, toothbrushes and closets, but they still shared a bathroom, which does get a little hectic.

On the side table between their two beds, the minute hand on the shine sprite alarm clock pointed to twelve. The sound of an ear piercing bell rang in the brother's ears. Mario was the first one to bolt awake, wearing a wide smile across his face, "Bro!" he shouted over to his brother to the bed beside his, who was clutching a pink Amazy Dayzee plush while he slept.

He threw off the fluffy, star designed red sheets and jumped off the bed in a rush. Rather than the clock, the sound of the ruffling of Mario's matching red PJs and the sheets woke Luigi up.

He drawled in a low, tired voice, "Mariooo…" and he flipped the green koopa shell patterned sheets over his head to block out the ruckus. Luigi snuggled against the Amazy Dayzee stuffed plush, closing his crusty, sleep filled eyes, "Ughhh...why did you set the alarm so-a-early, bro?"

"Early?" Mario laughed, bending over his brother's lying body to shake his shoulders, "Bro, you can't be-a serious! You know I'm a morning person, Weege!"

"But this is too early!" Luigi pouted from under the sheets, "It's-a six in the morning!"

It was true, Mario was a big morning person, something about the sunshine rising over the horizon had always raised his spirits. Today, however, Mario was more boisterous, like he would be during a holiday. Luigi knew he would be, given what they were going to be doing that day. He should've prepared himself for that.

Luigi got no response back from his brother and he rolled his eyes. He flopped back onto the pillows as Mario bounced out of the room and down the darkened hallway. He could barely close his eyes and relax with Mario's skipping footsteps at the other end of the wall, "Mama Mia, Mario…"

The door to the bathroom was swung open and the mushroom-shaped light turned on. Grabbing his red and white toothbrush and strawberry flavored toothpaste, Mario began brushing his teeth in the mirror. As he scrubbed his naturally white, perfectly framed teeth, Mario began bobbing his body up and down to a small tune in his head. He glanced down at a small radio sitting on a stool and cranked the wooden knob.

Coincidentally, the song Mario he secretly wished would play, came on. It was almost halfway through the song, but Mario didn't mind and embraced the fortuitous occurrence. Through his toothpaste filled mouth, Mario began to sing the lyrics,

" _Strangers waiting_

 _Up and down the boulevard_

 _Their shadows searching in the night..._

 _Streetlights, people, living just to find emotion_

 _Hiding somewhere in the night"_

Mario sang like his heart was pouring out of him, he knew the lyrics so well that they just flowed naturally.

" _Workin' hard to get my fill_

 _Everybody wants a thrill_

 _Payin' anything to roll the dice just one more time..."_

He shut the door of the bathroom, knowing his parents would yell at him as loud he was singing if they were to hear. Mario ignored Luigi wailing just a few ways down the hallway, "What is that-a-horrible sound?!" He was missing out on the fun anyway, clutching onto that toy he probably found in the girls' section of a toy store.

"It's-a-the number one song, Weege! Come out-a-that rock you're under!" Mario said to himself before continuing to sing.

" _Some will win, some will lose_

 _Some were born to sing the blues_

 _Oh, the movie never ends_

 _It goes on and on, and on, and on"_

He spit the toothpaste filled saliva into the sink before the lyrics started back up again.

" _Strangers waiting_

 _Up and down the boulevard_

 _Their shadows searching in the night..._

 _Streetlights, people_

 _Livin' just to find emotion_

 _Hidin' somewhere in the night"_

He held his voice long and high without it cracking horribly during the last note of the lyric. That was always his favorite part of the song and he was the only one in his group of friends that could pull it off without sounding like a dying goat (that's what he thought, at least). It made Mario pretty dang proud, since Reggie always patted him on the back for it during karaoke nights at the club.

After recovering his breath during the pause in the singing, Mario plopped the toothbrush back into its container, right next to Luigi's green one. He bobbed his head to the guitar solo, his frizzy brown hair flopping in and out of his face as he did so. While reaching for the comb in the bottom drawer to put it back into place, Mario began air-guitaring to the higher notes. To an outsider, he may have appeared to look like an idiot, but he didn't care. No one was here to crush on his solo party.

He may not have a gift for singing, but he did for dancing.

" _Don't stop believing_

 _Hold on to that feeling..._

 _Streetlights, people..._

 _Don't stop believing_

 _Hold on…"_

" _Streetlights, people…"_

" _ **Don't stop believing…"**_

The song began to drown out after that point, just as Mario finished combing his hair back into position, "Lookin-a good, Mista Mario!" He clicked his mouth and gave himself a point in front of the mirror. The radio began playing another song, one that he didn't care for and Mario turned the volume lower.

He opened the door to the bathroom. He was all ready to slide to the bottom of stairs and into the living room to wait for everyone to get up. Once the door opened, someone was already awake, "Bro, that horrible sound was only the best song ever-!" It wasn't Luigi. The taller figure standing at the doorway was Mama, with her arms crossed, hair draped down to the base of her neck and nightgown still on.

"What are you doing up?"

From down the hallway, Luigi spoke up, "That's what I asked…"

"Shut up, bro!" Mario screeched, only to be shushed by his mother, I'm getting ready early for the visit to-a Uncle Vince, Ma!"

Mama rolled her eyes, "I should tell you everyday is a visit to Vince's just so you'll get ready earlier instead of lounging around in the living room."

"I'm a morning person, Ma"

"It's six o'clock, Mario, we're not leaving for another hour and a half." Mama took her son by the shoulders and guided him back to his and Luigi's room, "I can't believe I have to tell my twenty year old son to go back to bed."

Mario didn't respond to that and instead gave a huff when he was dragged back into his room. How could he go to sleep with all this morning energy cooped up? Mario pouted with puffed up cheeks, "Maaa…"

"Go to sleep, you and your brother were up late." It was over when Mama shut the door.

Mario fumbled his way back to his bed, which was the one closest to the door. He fell onto his abdomen on the bed, digging his face into the sheets.

From beside him, Mario could hear his brother snickering and he mumbled, "What are-a you laughing at?"

"I can't-a believe they're still letting you go to Vince's for the weekend, after what you did." Luigi admitted.

" _I_ did?!" Mario pulled his face up from the sheets angrily, "You were-a there too!"

'I don't-a do half the things you do!" Luigi noted.

"What did Pa tell you about owning up to stuff?!"

Luigi gave his easily flustered brother a collected response, "Whatever, Mario." He snuggled closer to the Amazy Dayzee plush, "Mama and Papa always believe me anyway."

"Like hell they-a do!"

"Probably Uncle Vince will too, once he finds out about everything."

"Come on, bro! He's the chillest dude ever!"

For the sake of Star Haven, Luigi didn't want to poke the flames with Mario anymore. Learning from the past, their petty fights can drag on for hours on end. It would put everyone in the worst mood, "You know-a what, Mario?"

"What?"

"I'm done here, bro." Luigi threw the covers over his head again, "Hope your sleep isn't as bad as your singing."

The last thing he heard before his brother finally turned over and went to sleep was an offended gasp. Luigi had to hold back a laugh.

* * *

Mario lugged his suitcase down the wooden staircase, his nostrels welcomed by the sweet aroma of espresso, sweet rusk bread and hot milk. He gave an excited sniff, which added to the excitement that was bubbling in his chest.

Once he arrived at the bottom of the stairs, Mario set his suitcase at the edge of the table. His eyes were greeted with what he smelled earlier. His spot on the table was set with a plate with a piece of toasted bread covered with jam and near to it was a warm glass of hot milk.

Mario sat himself down in the cushioned chair and immediately began to dive into the morning meal.

While he ate, Mario heard footsteps from the ceiling above and he huffed with a mouthful of food.

"Better get down here, Weege!" Mario called to upstairs, "Or else I'm eating it all!"

"NOOO!" He heard a pained voice shout from above him, "MARIO!"

The threat was childish and immature, but it still sent Luigi flying down the stairs with his suitcase. It smashed against the sides of the wall, making the lights and paintings shake from the multiple impacts. Papa peered up from his newspaper at the noise, "Calm down, son!"

Luigi suddenly tripped on the last stair and he fell straight on his face. The suitcase slammed next to him on the ricketing wooden floorboards. Mario snickered while Mama gasped as if she had just come up from underwater.

Mama dashed over to her son whimpering into the floor, "Stars, son! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"Mama…" Luigi lifted his reddened face, "Mario's being mean again! He threatened he was-a gonna to eat all-a my food!"

"Come _on_ , Weege!" Mario sighed.

Mama slapped a palm to her face, "Oh Stars, help me…"

"Just ignore them, Aldina." Papa said, "Or we'll have this for the whole car ride."

"You're right." Mama helped Luigi to his feet and rubbed his face.

* * *

Mario hauled both of their suitcases into the trunk of the car as Luigi got in the backseat, "You could-a-helped!" He said

"You had to do-a-something around here!"

"Boys." Papa growled from the driver's seat.

The car ride was a bunch of...that...Mario and Luigi sassing each other until their Papa yelled at them to be quiet. After an argument, the brothers would cross their arms and turn their backs to each other, like they did when they were children. Their parents assumed they were pouty from last night. Mario tried to keep optimistic, but that annoyed Luigi.

* * *

It was late morning once they pulled into a long, paved driveway and Mario and Luigi's eyes beamed. They were fixated on the extensive freshly mowed front lawn.

"Mario, bro, this is the perfecta-a-place to play-a soccer." Luigi rolled down the window with the crank and poke his head out.

Mario cracked his knuckles, "You're-a excited for me to destroy you like I did last time we were-a here?!"

"Why-a do you always have to-a ruin my-a fun?!" He sniffled.

The car stopped in the part of the driveway that widened out into a small parking lot. It parked next to their Uncle's vintage, bright, baby blue vehicle.

Mario got out of the backseat first to unload his and his brother's suitcases while Luigi ran around and onto the porch.

Luigi leapt up the stairs, "Uncle Vince!"

There Uncle Vince stood, right in his front doorway and hearing Luigi's voice, Uncle Vince waved his nephew over, "Hey-a Luigi!"

Stepping out of the doorway, Uncle Vince threw his arms out to greet Luigi, who came running towards him happily. Vince was a pudgy, medium-tall man with messy, curly ash brown hair that was beginning to gray. Luigi always said hugging him was like hugging the softest pillow in the Mushroom Kingdom.

Soaring through the door, came a small chain chomplet. Its tongue came out to lick Luigi's foot, to which he gave a squeal in surprise.

"Don't-a be scared of him, Luigi." Patting Luigi on the back, Vince spoke in a heavy Italian accent and knelt down, "It's-a just Nico" The chomplet barked at his owner before leaping up into his open arms.

Vince effortlessly stood with his chain chomplet, Nico, in his arms. Noticing Luigi's cowering stance, Nico whimpered and stook his tongue out again to lick Luigi's cheek.

Mario soon came and he almost dropped the suitcases down the stairs when his eyes caught sight of Nico, "Nico!" He sat the suitcases on the patio floor and ran to his Uncle. Mario guided his hand over Nico's head and then down his body.

"Vince!" Said Papa, wrapping a hand around the shorter man's shoulders, "Nice seeing you again!"

"Hey-a bro! Your boys sure like Nico here."

"That's good." Papa sighed, "At least they have _something_ in common…"

"So, how's-a Aldina?"

"She's here with us, Vince." Papa pointed over to Mama, who came up the stairs slowly. She needed to pull up her flowing, orange and blue flower-patterned dress to avoid tripping.

"Hello Vince!" Mama waved.

"We have a big-a surprise for you boys." Vince said, eyes batting from Mama and Papa to the brothers.

Mario and Luigi asked in unison with glowing eyes, "What is it?!"

"We'll-a discuss over-a dinner." He placed Nico back onto the floor of the patio for him to run and sit in between the brothers, "For now you boys play in the yard."

* * *

Author's Note:

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! This one was really fun to write. Also, get ready for more 70s and 80s music in this fic.

I do not own _Don't Stop Believing_ by Journey.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note:

Here's Chapter 4, and I am so, so sorry for the longer wait! From here on out, I'm going to try to update consistently on the weekends (whether it's this fanfic or one-shots), since weekdays are impossible for me now. Anyways, this chapter is much longer than the last few and I will keep chapters around this length for the rest of the story going forward.

Also, thanks for the 430+ views, it really means a lot! :) I really didn't expect that many views, since this fic is only beginning. I don't know if that's a lot or a little, but I'm still proud of myself either way!

I hope you understand and enjoy this chapter!

* * *

"It's back here, Weege!" Mario weeded through the knee high tall grass. The remaining rain droplets hanging on the thin strings dampened their jean overalls, but it didn't stop Mario from dragging his brother through it.

Luigi whimpered, "Broo...our pants are gonna get all wet!" He swatted at his overalls to rid himself of the droplets that had not fully seeped into the fabric, "and I hate-a soggy shoes."

"You always have to-a complain, don't ya?"

"I'm-a not-a complaining!" Luigi said, "It's-a true!"

Mario rolled his eyes, "You-" In the distance, behind some overgrown shrubs stood a grayish shed, "Ohh! Over here!"

He hopped down from the incline to a patch of mushy dirt. Mario was so fixated on getting to the shed that he didn't even feel the mud closing in on his shoes.

Luigi was about to follow his brother's way until he peered down into the seemingly endless pool of mud. He looked at his green and white sneakers then back at Mario. His childlike sense of imagination barred him from following him. What if it would suck his feet in like the quicksand they read about in books or talked about in school? Luigi almost made an 'eep' when he heard Mario's voice call back to him.

"It's just-a mud, Weege!" Taking slow steps across the sticky ground through dead colorless branches and decaying mushroom caps, Mario reached the box-shaped shed. He was standing in front of what held the thousands of treasured memories of their childhood and Uncle Vince's. Mario pulled the vines that bound him from the doors to his memories away to throw open the shed.

The sunshine that peered through the branches of the trees above them beamed into the shed. Mario's eyes twinkled, his heart skipped a thumb, finding what the sunshine had just happened to shine on, "Bro! Here it is!" Mario's voice almost cracked, whipping his head back to his brother, "Look!"

Luigi saw the euphoria that was expressed through the beaming grin on Mario's face. It was so wide that Luigi doubted any normal human, toad or living being for that matter could produce such a smile. He stood on his tippy toes to try and look over Mario's capped head, "What-a is it, bro? Your head is so-a big I can barely see anything!"

"Then come-a down here!" Mario's voice echoed along the wooden walls of the shed as he stepped foot inside. The loose leaves crunched underneath the weight of his foot and the various gardening equipment shifted against the other when he pulled them to the side to get to the prize awaiting him in the belly of the shed.

"But-But the mud…"

Mario barely heard whatever came out of Luigi's mouth. He babbled like messy brook with no sense of direction. If Luigi wanted to stay behind in his little fear bubble, let him, Mario thought, too bad for him, he was going to miss out.

Mario inched closer, but his foot was stopped against the rusting prongs of two tangled up rakes. He tried to reach his short arm out to touch the smooth metal surface of his prize, but Mario cursed, seeing that his fingers couldn't get there, "Ugh…thanks Ma for the short arms."

Suddenly, the sunshine seemed to dim from behind Mario as he kept trying to reach for the treasure he was looking for. He felt a taller presence advancing towards him, along with echoing footsteps inside the shed. As Mario was about to turn his head and see what was coming towards him, a hand landed on his shoulder.

"MAMA MIA!" Mario twirled around with a screech, which boomed from the depths of his gut. The rakes toppled from their upright positions and knocked against a workbench. Mario's eyes bulged more than a Fat Guy's belly over his belt. He didn't know what to expect to see behind him until- "Weege?"

Luigi took a step back with his hands in front of his face just in case Mario were to do something stupid and swing his arms out. The two brothers saw what they were doing and immediately stopped. Mario's screech came to a halt, and his face flushed red with embarrassment, seeing a blank stare of astonishment in his twin brother's face.

Luigi couldn't hold the laughter building up in the swell of his cheeks any longer and it bursted out, "Oh Mario, bro, oh my-a Stars…"

"What?" Mario shouted angrily, he thought steam was actually fuming from his ears like he were in a early Saturday morning cartoon, "Why the heck are you sneaking up on-a me, bro? You could-a called my name or something."

"You scream as loud as the a princess did when she was a baby!" Luigi teased.

"Shut up!"

He waited for Mario to cool down, "Just-a what were you looking for anyway?" Luigi then asked, eyeing around the shed, "Didn't you want-a to look for a ball?"

With a nod, Mario turned his back to his brother to show him the object he was looking for. He twisted and turned, but it was nowhere to be found. He swore he was about to get a hold of it before Luigi came in so suddenly. "It was-a just here…" Mario twirled the brown hairs in his growing moustache, "How'd it just-a disappear?"

"Disappear?" While Mario continued to scan the same area he had been for about the hundredth time, Luigi decided to turn his gaze downward. There was a soccer ball-sized metal sphere that laid on the floor inches from Luigi's feet. Unilluminated lights were lined around the circumference while one larger one sat in the middle. To get a closer look, Luigi knelt down before it. The metal pieces holding the ball together appeared rusted and caved, so Luigi eased his fingers around the surface to avoid accidentally pulling them off. This was the next closest thing to a ball in that shed, Luigi thought, was this the thing Mario was looking for?

"Ey, Weege!" Mario turned around, meaning to check out the alignment of rakes until he found Luigi kneeling on the ground and peering down at something, "...What are you doing?"

"Mario, bro."

"What?"

He sprang to his feet and outstretched his hands, with the ball gently sitting in his palms. From what Luigi could see, stars were dancing in the blue of Mario's eyes, "Holy Star Haven!" Mario exclaimed and without warning, he snatched the ball from his brother's hands. It made Luigi squeak, anticipating the poor ball to fall apart in that very second, "You found it!"

"I-I did-a?" Luigi asked, "Found what?"

"Dummy!" Mario was astonished, "You don't-a know what this is?"

"I don't-a know, bro, I just came out here looking for a ball with you!"

"This." Mario held the ball up to Luigi's face, "This is the Strikers Cup soccer ball!"

Luigi blinked, he couldn't believe his eyes as they surveyed the metal ball, "R-Really?! A real-"

"Yeah!" Mario said while his eyes wandered over the aged metal, "I can't-a believe Vince even has this thing! It must-a be twenty-plus years old!"

"Twenty?! That-a much?"

"Probably more…" Mario awed, but Luigi twiddled his thumbs anxiously.

"If it's that-a old, should we even be messing with it?"

Mario huffed, the breath exiting from his mouth blew off some of the dust particles and dirt pellets loosely sprawled about the metal sphere. They flew right into Luigi's face. The bunnies tickled the green brother's nostrils and made him unleash a flurry of coughs. Mario stepped away from Luigi and giggled childishly, "Stars, Weege, maybe it needs to be played with, since it's been sitting in a dusty shed for so-a long."

Shaking his head and rubbing over his nose, Luigi spluttered with an agonizing tickle deep in his nose, "Bro, seriously, wanna get us in more-a trouble?"

"Sorry, Weege, couldn't hear ya, you gotta speak up." Mario shoved past a sniffling Luigi, who could hear the metal creaking under Mario's careless, heavy hands. There was no stopping him now, whatever Mario did would be his responsibility too. Luigi began mentally preparing for when that ball broke and they would have to explain to Vince why his Strikers Cup ball fell apart.

Luigi jumped when the Strikers ball was dropped onto the shed floor. The substantial weight of it rocketed the shaky foundation of the shed. Mario's sneakers scoffed against the floor as the red brother dragged his right foot back, "Wait-Wait up, bro!" Luigi gulped and ducked behind the rakes. Oh well, on the bright side, at least he saw a Strikers Cup ball intact and in person, "Are you-a sure about this?!"

What Luigi got for an answer was the sound of a loud punt, a blunt sneaker clashing against a metal surface. Luigi closed his eyes, hoping the ball didn't break right then and there. The punt was followed by clamouring footsteps dashing out of the shed. Luigi creaked open an eyelid at this, and he shrieked when both the ball and his brother were completely gone from the shed. In a blink, they were gone. Gone! "Bro!"

Luigi bounced off his feet and only stopped at the entrance of the shed. He halted just in time before his sneakers sank into the mud. For some reason, Luigi tilted his head skyward, to the trees and the black-eyed clouds splayed across the blue sky. Something then caught his eye, far up in the sky, soaring towards Uncle Vince's yard, something grey and circular. A UFO? No, he had to be rational here.

Looking back in front of him, Luigi found Mario trouncing through the mud and up over the incline back towards the house. Luigi gasped as the pieces came together, how in the Underwhere did Mario get that ball up so high and without it breaking? And how did Mario get through the mud so easily? Despite being twins who supposedly knew everything about each other from top to bottom, these were questions Luigi couldn't find an answer for.

"Hey, Bro! Wait-a up for me!" Luigi called out, but he could barely hear his brother's cocky response. Honestly, he didn't even want to anyway. "He's not-a waiting for me." He muttered to himself, seeing Mario only a few meters away from the yard. With a sigh, Luigi eased his feet across the patch of mud onto a less moistened patch of dirt, and then to another. There was a burn in his quads, but it was either that or slushy feet.

Luigi hopped back onto the incline, over a patch of murky muck. In the air, he feared a sudden slip in his landing that would send him tumbling back into the mud, that could possibly suck him down into a void of nothingness. Luigi let a pent up breath exit from his lungs once his feet touched the drier ground.

* * *

Mario skipped out from the covering of trees and back into the sunshine. He beamed when the rays warmed his olive skin and the increased brightness met his vision. Along with the sun and the welcoming blue sky, Mario looked across the yard, finding two soccer goals already set up. Mario figured Uncle Vince must've put them up while they went to check out the shed for a ball. Mario couldn't thank him enough in his mind.

From afar, Mario noticed the Strikers Cup ball heading back down towards the ground. Wanting to catch it before it landed on the grass, Mario bounded after it, "I'm-a gonna get it first, Weege!" He shouted back, keeping his eyes up on the metal sphere soaring down.

The calm breeze turned rough as Mario ran, across the red, white-spotted fungi littered around the edge of the forest. He was extra careful not to have the sole of his foot crush the head of the mushroom into the ground, Mama always said that was bad luck. Mario was surprised he even followed such a stupid rule, as his running speed slowed.

Before he knew it, Mario was running through the freshly cut grass and into the center of the yard, "Come to Mario!" He announced, and slid through the wet ground. He lifted his leg up, attempting to catch the ball on his foot and then circle it in between his heels. Mario stood in the yard, peering up into the sky. He waited for a few seconds, but no specialty Striker Cup ball was in sight, "What the…" Mario imagined he must've looked like an idiot, standing in the middle of the yard and looking up to the sky, motionless.

"You're looking for this, bro?"

A very familiar voice called out to him from a few yards away. Mario whipped his head around, and immediately noticed the ball being twirled in Luigi's palm. His eyes narrowed, "What did _you_ do?"

Luigi shrugged nonchalauntly, and mocked Mario's drawn out "you", " _You_ overcalculated the landing position."

"Don't make-a up words!"

"You thought-a you were slick, " Luigi teased, feeling a little bit of pride bubbling in his chest, "thinking you could-a outrun me. You knew I was a thousand meter dash MVP last-a year."

"Well, I'll just beat you in soccer again like every time!" Mario pursed his lips to make a 'pbbt' sound before crossing his arms, 'Doesn't even matter if you have the ball anyway."

Luigi dropped the ball and once it hit the ground, the lights glowed a faint purple, "Alrighty." He shifted the ball against his heel, showing Mario that he was in possession, "We'll-a see, bro."

"You're-a on." Mario leaned down and locked eyes with Luigi. His nerves preparing for the moment when he would need to to pounce and steal the ball away. It made tingles of anticipation run through his fingers and toes.

Luigi knew he needed to move quick, since Mario placed himself in a perfect position in front of him, where he couldn't see the opening of the goal. The green brother couldn't force a smile back when he thought of a plan.

What was he planning? Mario thought to himself, knowing Luigi was the more conniving at his core (surprisingly). Mario couldn't wait to see what was up his sleeve. Unable to wait, Mario lunged at Luigi's standing form.

He should've known better, but Mario realized that all too late when Luigi veered out of his path.

Damn! Mario completely missed him, and a little nudge at his leg sent him flying off course. He could feel the wind of his brother rushing past him. Utilizing his quick reflexes, Mario brought his body up straight and twirled on the ball of his foot.

Once he turned his head back around, Mario gasped when he found Luigi only halfway to the goal. But, Mario was far from losing hope on this game. He smirked when he noticed Luigi's far from neat dribbling skills. The ball was losing momentum, since Luigi was barely able to catch it with the other foot when he passed it.

Mario hurried on his feet. He almost tripped from a little twinge of pain in his foot from spinning around so abruptly, but he quickly reminded himself that is was nothing and to keep going. Mario kept a bit of space between him and his brother, as he ran closer to him. He knew, with Luigi's messy dribbling, the ball would steer in his direction for him to steal.

* * *

A aged hand, which had begun to diversify with age spots, lowered down onto the head of the Chain Chomplet. "How's he doing with the flees?" Papa inquired, to which Uncle Vince walked away from his spot in the kitchen and towards his brother.

With the gentle hand petting his head, Nico closed his eyes and began to snuggle at Papa's foot. "I brought-a Nico to the vet actually. They say he's-a all clear now, I just can't-a let him out into the forest as much anymore."

Vince knelt down next to Papa. A smile came to his chunky face when he watched Nico flop over onto his back. The Chain Chomplet squirmed and spluttered around the floor once Papa began rubbing his underbelly. "You know."

"What?"

"My boys…" Papa peered down into Nico's big black eyes. "they always wanted a pup. They bothered me and Aldina almost everyday for one when they were younger. At breakfast, dinner, the rides home from school...they would always ask for a Chomplet pup."

Vince couldn't hold back a chuckle, "It's the one thing those two have in common, right?"

No kidding. "Right. But how could those two care for it when they can't even get along with each other?" Papa admitted, even though it was much to his dismay, "And we didn't have the money for one either. We're simple people, living in the boonies of Toad Town and raising two kids, we couldn't have a pup thrown in the mix too!"

"Maybe it would've been for the better." Vince shrugged when Papa turned his head up towards him, "Having a pet is like having a child, I understand, but it makes all the difference. Perhaps the boys would've learned a bit-a more responsibility and-"

"WAHHH MARIOOOO!"

Papa took his hand off of Nico and rubbed it through his hair, "Oh no...was that…"

Nico was the first to react once Papa took his hand away. He rolled stubby body his over and made an "eep", laying on his own belly. His rear raised along with his rounded tail pointed upwards.

"Oh Stars! Nico!" Vince dived for the ground in an attempt to get his arms around Nico, but the Chomplet was away from him quicker than he realized. As he slid on the hardwood, his arms curled around his own body, just missing Nino by a few inches. The Chomplet made a beeline for the opened door. "Get-a back here, you!" Vince shouted as Papa helped him up, "Bro, for the love of the Stars, could-a you get-a Nico for-a me?"

"Sure, Vince."

Papa stood. His taller body surpassed Vince's by only a few inches, but it was quite noticeable. Papa gave Vince a pat on the shoulder before he bounded for the front door. With a strong hand, he whipped the heavy door open. To his surprise and relief, Nico was right in his line of sight. The Chomplet sat in the grass, just a few feet away from the patio. At least he wouldn't have to go running to catch the little thing. As soon as Papa was about to catch Nico in his arms, he was soon faced with something different.

"MARIO! That's not-a fair!"

* * *

Mario was now halfway down the other side of the yard, away from the opposite goal. He dribbled the ball cleanly between his feet, without any mishaps. "That's why you didn't make the soccer team, Weege, you can't-a dribble if the world depended on it!"

"Shut up, Mario!" Luigi shouted, but, to his credit, he was gaining on Mario quickly. "At least I can run faster than you!"

Luigi tried to charge him, but Mario was the one to react first. He skidded cleanly out of the way, with the help of the wet grass, "But you ain't that-a observant."

"What do you mean by-a that-WAHHH!" Luigi's foot rammed against something solid and tough. It completely threw off his movement and sent the green brother tumbling down onto the grass below. Luigi only got one look at what he tripped over before he slammed face first into the moistened ground. A rock...for Stars sake! Luigi sulked when he came to the realization that he completely blew his chance to finally beat his overbearing, arrogant brother.

The next thing that caught his ear was the drowning sound of Mario cracking up. It made Luigi take his head up from the ground. He gasped at the state of the Strikers Cup ball. The lights of its center and sides illuminated brightly in a yellow glow, it was surprisingly visible, even in the broad daylight. Luigi wiped the muddy dirt from his face to get a better look.

After allowing the ball to roll slightly in front of him, Mario reclined his foot back and jerked it forward. The collision between his foot and the ball was so intense that it made the latter emit a white glow as it flew into the goal. One the ball was caught inside the net, Mario jumped with glee.

"Oh yeah! Mario's the winner! Mario's the winner!" Mario pumped his fists up towards the beaming sun, "Mario's the winner!" He jumped one final time and once he landed, Mario pointed straight at Luigi, "And Weege is the loser!"

Sitting up on his knees, Luigi crossed his arms with a pout, "I hate-a this game."

" 'Cause you always loose!"

Luigi ignored Mario that time, and many more, since his brother kept bragging obnoxiously in his face. Maybe a comforting hug from his Mama or a change of clothes would brighten his mood, Luigi thought. Just as he was about to climb onto the stairs, Luigi bumped straight into Papa, who held Nico in his arms, close to his chest.

"Hey Papa." Luigi only looked up a minute before he hid himself in between his shoulders.

At least he wasn't trying to break up another fight. "You alright, son?"

Luigi then moved around Papa to head for the steps, "I'm-a gonna come in and change. Don't-a mind me."

"Son."

"Weegee." A voice came from the door and Luigi turned his head upwards. He found Vince blocking the open doorway. He stepped to the side to only let Papa through, but as Luigi went to do the same, Vince blocked it again, "Hold on-a there."

"Can I please-a go inside, Uncle Vince?" Luigi pleaded and squeezed the side of his shirt, letting the murky dirt-filled water leak from the fabric. "I'm-a all dirty."

Uncle Vince shook his head, and wrapped a big arm around Luigi's shoulders. "That's not-a it." He began leading him back down the stairs and towards the lawn. "Mario beat-a you again, didn't he?"

"Yeah." Luigi nodded and he looked away to the lining of the forest.

"Is that-a why you wanna stop?"

"Well..."

"That's no reason to quit!" Vince exclaimed.

Luigi gave a tired shrug, which made his moistened sleeves cling further onto his shirt, "I'm not-a quitting! I just wanna help-a Mama with the-a dinner!"

"Oh please-a, I can see through that."

"Oh Stars-a help me…"

Uncle Vince ignored Luigi's mumble grumble and instead turned his attention to his other nephew. The red clad brother danced about on the field, probably forgetting that Luigi was even present, "If I turn my back, you won't-a run off on-a me, will you, Weegee?"

"O-Ok, I won't." Luigi agreed and he received a strong pat on his back.

"Mario!" Uncle Vince called out, to which Mario eagerly turned his head towards him.

"Did you-a see that-a steal I made?!"

"Yeah, Yeah, Mario, just-a me that ball in there." And Mario did so, ducking under the net to get the Strikers Cup ball resting there. Uncle Vince caught the ball in his hand before dropping it to the ground.

The ball rolled between Vince's feet, once it hit the soggy grass, "I'm-a gonna teach you a little trick, Weegee." With a swerve, Vince crossed Luigi and ran out into the center of the yard. Luigi was struck with awe, seeing the ball stay cleanly in his uncle's possession, "Consider this a once-in-a-lifetime tutoring-a session from a Strikers Cup-a champion. Watch."

"A-Alrighty…" Luigi followed Vince back out into the yard, but stayed a good distance away so he could watch his uncle's trick.

Vince beckoned over to Mario, "Try to-a get the ball from me."

Mario jogged in place before leaning down, his eyes glinting as they narrowed in on the ball. "You're-a on." He mumbled before breaking out in a full charge towards Uncle Vince.

Uncle Vince was prepared for his lunge, however. Once Mario got close enough and extended his leg forward to kick the ball away, Uncle Vince rolled the ball onto his foot. Swiftly, Uncle Vince juggled the ball over to his opposite side and back again as Mario tried consistently to kick it away. He could hear Mario grumbling under his heavy breaths, and with every failed kick, his nephew's frustration became more apparent.

Just at the right time, Uncle Vince swerved around Mario's body and bolted away from him. He left Mario whipping his head about in confusion. Once the red clad brother noticed where his uncle went, Vince had already begun to lift his foot behind him and slam it into the ball. It illuminated once again on impact as it flew straight into the goal.

Luigi stammered dumbfoundedly, "How...How did-a you do that?!"

"I had a good coach, so it didn't take me that-a long to master." Uncle Vince admitted, "And I'm sure you can do the same, I've noticed you got good reflexes."

"I-I do?"

"You're better than you think." Once Uncle Vince retrieved the ball, he dropped it down again, but this time it was before Luigi's feet instead of his, "Here. Pick-a the ball up with your-a foot and bounce it into your-a hand a few times."

Luigi gulped, but nodded. He scooped up the ball with his sneaker and whipped his foot upwards, making the ball rocket high. Luigi easily was able to catch it in his hands once it came back down. He repeated the action a few more times, he failed a little in between due to the fact that Mario shot him daggers intently, but overall, Luigi was consistent.

"You're-a doing good!" Uncle Vince exclaimed, "You learned faster than-a Mario!" He laughed when Mario gave him a scoff in the background.

Luigi mumbled back with a grin, "He doesn't like-a hearing that…"

"I can-a see." He said, 'Back to-a soccer, Weege."

"Now what do I do?"

"Try to-a bounce it with-a both feet." Uncle Vince then suggested, but a nervous nod came from Luigi, "It's not-a that hard, just try."

Luigi did...or attempted to. He failed almost three times in a row, but the fourth time was when it finally clicked in Luigi's mind. After flicking the ball up with one foot, Luigi swiftly lifted the other and kicked it back over. He forgot the world was spinning around him, since his eyes snapped from left to right on the ball. Luigi almost squeaked when Uncle Vince put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Nice, Weegee!" He said proudly, "You're-a getting it!"

"How long did-a I go-a for?"

"About a good minute."

"Mamma Mia, that's awesome!" Luigi exclaimed excitedly.

"Now." Uncle Vince took the ball off the ground and cradled it in his arm after waving Mario over, "All you gotta do now is add the serve technique and you'll be good to go."

"I'm-a good at the swerve…" Luigi said.

"Then you'll-a be fine."

"Wait, about what?"

That made Uncle Vince laugh heartily, "Against your brother. Use that move if he tries to get the ball from-a you." He then leaned down to whisper so that Mario couldn't hear as he approached them, 'It-a always worked for-a me."

"Ready to lose?" Mario tilted his head, " _Again_?"

Luigi chose not to respond.

Uncle Vince spread the brothers out a few feet apart from each other, "Three, two, one..." He held the ball up a little higher, waiting an extra second until he shouted out, "Go!" Once he let the ball slip from his palm, Uncle Vince hurried backwards in order to avoid being clobbered in the middle of the brother's clash.

Luigi was the quicker brother with the longer legs, which allowed him to easily pull the ball inwards and away from Mario. The red clad brother tried, but he couldn't reach Luigi. However, he wouldn't give up the ball that easily. Once Luigi turned away from him to start running towards his goal, Mario caught the ball and stole it away from Luigi when it strayed too far from his feet.

Luigi cursed himself for not using the technique, but soon reassured himself that it wouldn't have been applicable to use in that scenario. He then focused on chasing Mario, who had already made it up a few yards away from the goal. Once Mario stopped to make his shot, Luigi dove in front of him and shoved the ball away.

"Come-a on, Weege!"

He was close to slipping on the grass, but by some miracle from the Stars, Luigi was able to pick himself up and continue onwards. The ball winded about between his feet, but whenever it strayed away, it was in front, so Luigi was relieved Mario couldn't try and steal as easily. Luigi kept that going for around a few more feet.

That is, until Mario slipped behind him, "Hey!" Luigi exclaimed, when Mario bumped into him with his heavier body. His shorter leg tried to get his foot in between his brother's. Luigi veered away from Mario and hopped a little bit forward. It was a tangled mess, but Luigi managed it the best he could, trying to free himself from Mario's cornering maneuvers. That's when Luigi realized what he needed to do.

Luigi caught the ball just before it could veer into Mario's possession. Digging his foot into the ground, the ball rolled into his shoe. His heart nearly skipped a beat when he realized that he pulled the first part off correctly. Luigi juggled it onto his other foot and away from Mario, "Weege...What the-?" Mario tried to get him, but Luigi kept the ball tightly packed in between his feet as he steered away from him.

It was Mario's astonishment that made him unintentionally back away from his brother and quit his attempts at a steal. His mind came back once he saw Luigi begin to dash away, kicking the ball forward ever so slightly forwards to get ready for a shot at the goal. Mario attempted to catch up to his green clad brother, but he was just too fast for him.

Mario's sneakers squeaked against the ground as he came to a sudden stop, seeing the ball being flown into the goal net with its lights glowing a bright white. Mario stood, eyes and mouth peeled so wide, he didn't know what to think. Had his own wimp of a brother just beat him at soccer? It had to be a horrible dream. He snapped out of his little trance when he heard his Mama's voice call out to them from the doorway.

"Boys! Come inside for a little while and help me with the dinner!"

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Author's Note:

I cannot stress enough how sorry I am for the wait. I promise this won't happen often because I am starting to make more time to work on fanfics and things, so stay tuned for more!


	5. Chapter 5

Hello and Chapter 5 is here!

Reviews are really appreciated! I want to make sure I am neither going too fast nor too slow with this fic. I also hope I am putting everyone in character too.

Thank you to everyone that has followed/favorited so far. It means so much to me that people like my story!

In that case, Enjoy!

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Mario tuned out for a second as he watched Luigi jump about on the field. Mama's voice seemed so foreign to him in that moment. His lips pursed into a frown while his bushy eyebrows narrowed deeply. If it wasn't for Mama's calling, Mario was for sure he would challenge Luigi to a rematch. Mario was not one to lose that easily.

"Boys!" Mama's voice boomed, with a hint of annoyance.

Luigi and Uncle Vince's heads were the first to turn to Mama's call with wide grins on their faces. Mario followed slowly and crossed his arms, like a child who had just been put in timeout after stealing from the cookie jar. Still in a state of excitement, Luigi pointed over to the soccer ball which was sitting under the net, "Look, Mama!" Luigi jumped, "I scored a goal, I scored a goal! I beat-a Mario, too!"

A harrumph came from Mario, which Luigi gleefully ignored.

"Look, Look, Mama! See it?!"

Her eyes flicked to look at the ball for a good second, before going back to her son's glowing eyes, "I can see it just fine, son." Mama said after wiping off the sweat on her brow, "I need you all to come in now and help me with dinner." Luigi's grin slightly faded and turned back to Uncle Vince for approval.

"Go help-a your Ma out, boys." Uncle Vince said, turning back in the direction of the goal, "I'll fetch-a the ball."

"I'm coming, Mama!" Luigi nodded, skipping out of the yard and toward the steps. When he passed Mario, Luigi stuck his tongue out at him. He laughed when he heard his red clad brother pout about something unintelligible. Luigi was up the steps in a flash, and was about to walk back into the house until Mama stopped him with an able arm in front of him.

"Mario!" She yelled out to her other son and ignored his sullen state. However, Mario stayed adamant, turning his back to Mama to ignore her.

Mama was not pleased with her son's behavior and nor was Luigi, who appeared eager to hop inside the house. He didn't want to wait for his pouting brother. "Mario!" Mama called again, this time in a much deeper voice that finally made Mario's head tweak in her direction. "Come." She flicked her hand in a 'come here' motion, which wasn't supposed to be disobeyed.

Mario, despite rolling his eyes, stepped out of his still position. With every step, however, he flicked dirt with his foot, unable to hide the bubbling irritability in his gut. Mario was one to show his emotions on his sleeve, even the non observant could pick up on his cues. As he ascended the stairs to the stoop, he kept his head bowed down and didn't look up at Mama or his brother as he stood next to them at the doorway.

"Shoes." Mama instructed, pointing down at their sneakers, which were smudged over with grass stains, wet marks and dirt spots. Her sons obeyed and rubbed their shoe bottoms off on the welcome mat. Their feet slipped out and then rested on the cool hardwood flooring slowly. Mama was about to instruct them over to the kitchen, but her command halted as it was about to come out her mouth. She looked over her sons. "Boys."

Luigi was quick to ask, "Yes, Mama?"

Mama shook her head. "You both go upstairs and change those clothes." She swung her pointer finger over to the direction of the staircase. "I want you looking a little more presentable before I let you two anywhere near the kitchen."

The brothers' faces dropped a little, Mario's more so than Luigi's. They were not looking forward to anymore time spent together.

"Me and Uncle Vince were nice enough to carry the suitcases upstairs while you two went and played." Mama added, "It's a little something you could do for us."

Luigi shrugged, she did have a point, "Okay, Mama." He turned away from her and then went towards the stairs obediently.

Mario watched him go, still a frown plastered onto his face. Maybe Luigi wasn't feeling it, but he did. The embarrassment from the loss was taking over his mind. For the first time in years, his brother had beaten him in a sport. He felt as if his pride was hit as hard as a loosely flying baseball rocketing through a window.

Mama could sense her son's agitation, like any parent would, "Mario." She began, as she put a soft hand on his back, "Come on, get upstairs and change. I don't want you in those wet socks."

She gave him a small push towards the stairs, but Mario was stubborn. "I don't-a want-a to go up with-a him."

"Upstairs." She gave him a stronger push on the back, which was close to being a shove. "And _I_ don't want to fight with you on this."

"But-a how did he beat-a me, Ma?" Mario whined as he stepped forward. Just as his foot was about to raise onto the first set of stairs, he whipped his head around to Mama when she spoke.

"Luck works in strange ways, son." She said.

"It-a can't be luck, Ma! I am the best at soccer. The MVP!" Mario boomed, "I am so, so much better than-a he is!"

Mama reached a hand up to her forehead to message her temples in a futile attempt to find a response, "Mario…" She sighed, "Mario, Mario, Mario…You have a lot to learn. Let your brother have his moment, he lets you have his."

Mario huffed, he couldn't deny that truth. Mama did have a point. "Ugh... _fine_ , Ma." With a heavy breath, Mario began climbing the stairs up to the guest room, but not without hearing something else come from Mama.

"I want you growing out of that pouty attitude of yours. You're twenty, not five!. It's such an embarrassment to me!"

That was the last thing Mario heard before he reached the top of the stairs. He could only roll his eyes and suppress the urge to argue back.

Once Mario's feet hit the carpeted floor of the upper floor, the sound of a door creaking open immediately caught his attention. Seeing Luigi come out of the guest bedroom in a clean white, green-striped polo shirt made Mario's eyes narrow.

"Oh, what's up, bro." Luigi smiled and pointed behind him to their room, "Our-a suitcases are in there."

"You know, bro." Mario said as he crossed his arms and puffed out his chest. When Luigi approached closer to him, he leaned in towards his brother's face. "You-a only won because Uncle Vince gave you the ball first"

"Are you-a still-a on about-a that?!" Luigi asked, unable to suppress a laugh over his brother's behavior.

There was no denying he was, but Mario was not one to admit it, "So what?"

Luigi waved his hand in a fanning motion over his brother's head, "Chill out, bro." He added, "It's-a one little game."

"Oh, I'm-a fine, bro."

"Really?"

"Really." Mario stood firm.

Luigi was beginning to lose his patience. His face tightened as Mario blocked him off from going around him. Luigi then peered down at his brother, who still had an argumentative glint in his eyes. "Y'know, bro, Mama, Papa and Uncle Vince all see this."

Raising an eyebrow, Mario inquired with a grin, "What are you-a on about-a now?"

Luigi suddenly lurched forward, "You're-a so immature!" Once he saw that haughty grin on his brother's face slowly fade, Luigi continued, "For-a Star's sake, you're so worked up over a freaking soccer game that you're trying to start a fight with your-a own-a brother!"

Mario's eyes widened, and exposed his teeth in an open mouthed frown, "Are you-a kidding-a me?!" He bellowed, "You-a even know what you're-a saying right-a now?!"

"Yeah, I do." Luigi nodded, "And everyone else knows too."

"I'm not-a immature! I'm just-a competitive."

Luigi continued, "And arrogant, bossy, stubborn…" He took an exaggerated breath, "...Mamma Mia, I could list them all until the end of time-"

A stomp from Mario's heavy foot rocketed through the floor, even through the thick padding of the carpet. The sound of it radiated through the thin hallway and hummed through Luigi's ears, "Shut-a up!" Mario boomed, the strength of it coming from deep in his gut. His fingers tensed into tight balls while his head shot up to meet Luigi's. "Don't-a you assume things about-a me!"

"Assume?! Bro, we're twins, we shared a freaking womb together, I know everything about you. I don't need to assume anything!" Luigi raised his voice, "Like how you always had that little crush on that blonde princess girl when we were kids. What was her name again? Oh right, it was Peach!"

"That's not-a true!" Mario shouted.

"And that-a time you stole candy from the Halloween bucket in middle school? I always had a feeling it was you." Luigi pointed out.

"You don't-a know that!"

He wasn't the slightest bit intimidated. Luigi was beginning to have fun at this point, even though Mario clearly wasn't. "Look at yourself, bro!" He pointed at his brother's mouth, "You're foaming!"

"I might be immature but you're annoying!"

Luigi then began to burst out laughing, "Look at you, bro! Look at you!" He kept repeating, still with a pointer finger directed at Mario's foaming mouth. Drool was bubbling in his teeth and at the sides of his lips. With every word, Mario's composure broke down faster and faster. For Luigi, it was most entertaining to watch, "You're like-a pitbull! We should-a put-a you outside to bark at the annoying neighbors whenever they blast their country music too-a loud!"

"If you don't-a shut up right now-!" Mario didn't finish his sentence, nor did he want to. His feet sprung up, causing Mario to lunge himself forward. He went through the still air for around a millisecond before his body crashed into his brother's. Mario's short, but hefty arms wrapped around Luigi's skinnier frame as he tackled him to the ground.

Luigi's head was thrown back as his arms flung outwards to brace his fall. This made his skull collide with the floor below. The impact hit him like a stick slamming down on a timpani drum. It radiated from his head and down his spine, making the nerves in his limbs tingle. Luigi's first instinct was to cover his head, but Mario was quicker. His red clad brother grabbed the collar his shirt. Luigi gulped, locking his now tearing eyes with Mario's.

The next thing they heard were the sounds of frantic footsteps ascending to the upper floor. There were about three pairs of feet coming up the stairs. They hit Mario's ears immediately and he rushed to scramble off his brother, but it was too late.

"Get off of him!" Mario heard a loud voice boom while a pair of large hands gripped him by his shoulders and yanked him off his brother's body with force. He rolled over beside his brother, onto his side. His arms began to tremble as they sluggishly moved to pick himself up.

Luigi sat up and his hands flung up to cradle his head. He rubbed them through his bushy hair and then opened his eyes once the pain began to subside a little. Through Luigi's blurry vision he could outline the silhouette of three figures. He blinked a few more times and a wave of relief came over him.

"Mama!" Luigi whined, springing up to his feet and running over to Mama. He pushed through Uncle Vince and Papa and lept into her arms. She embraced him and held him tightly.

Papa stormed over to Mario, seized him by his shirt and stood him up, "Explain what's happening now!" He bellowed, his angered face pressed close to Mario's, "Explain to me why it's okay to fight with your brother over a soccer game of all things!"

"Luigi, he-!"

"Don't blame him, Mario." Papa scorned, "I heard everything. Luigi said everything right."

Mama shook her head in discontent, while she held Luigi closely. Her eyes were dark as she grumbled, "You are immature."

"You have-a no reason to act like that." Uncle Vince added.

Mario yelled in a panicked effort to defend himself. He didn't know who he was talking to as his eyes kept darting from one person to the next, "You don't-a understand!"

"No, we do." Papa said commandingly, "You both, get downstairs."

Luigi whimpered, "Why me?! I didn't do anything!"

"This is for both of you. We wanted to wait until dinner to tell you this, but I guess we have to do it now."

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Author's Note:

I am sorry this ended in a cliffhanger. I thought it would add more effect to the end of the chapter.

Thank you for reading!


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